Each year, Brand Africa delivers fresh insight into which brands are shaping the hearts, minds, and wallets of Africans. In its 15th edition, the 2025 Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands report has revealed both exciting highlights and sobering realities about Africa’s brand landscape.
This year’s rankings were unveiled at the symbolic Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia—birthplace of the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union)—in partnership with African Business magazine and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
Despite growing optimism in the continent—68% of Africans say they believe in Africa, up from 64% in 2024—African brands are still struggling to convert belief into loyalty. Just 11% of the Top 100 most admired brands are homegrown, a historic low and a notable drop from 14% last year.
The report draws from a wide-ranging survey conducted across 31 countries, in eight major African languages. These countries account for more than 85% of the continent’s population and GDP, making this the most comprehensive analysis of brand sentiment in Africa.
Global giants continue to dominate the landscape. For the eighth consecutive year, Nike retained its title as the most admired brand overall. Meanwhile, MTN and Dangote remained Africa’s most admired homegrown brands, topping the charts for both spontaneous and aided brand recall. MTN also emerged as the #1 brand perceived to be doing the most good for Africa, thanks to its societal and environmental contributions.
Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, was honored for his outstanding contribution to industrialization and brand leadership, while key African brands such as MTN, Dangote, M-Pesa, Ethiopian Airlines, and Brand South Africa were inducted into the inaugural Brand Africa Hall of Fame—a recognition of their consistency and long-term impact on the continent.
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Other highlights from the report include:
- Bathu emerged as the most admired apparel brand.
- Standard Bank topped the financial services category.
- BBC is the most admired media brand overall, while DStv leads among African-owned media brands.
- Samsung and Nike are the top choices among Gen Z, while Nike also dominates among Millennials.
- The most admired nation brands are South Africa (in Africa) and globally, the United States and the United Kingdom, for their brand presence and foreign direct investment influence.
- African brands made up just 11% of the list; G20 brands represented 81%, and BRICS+ countries contributed 20%.
Speaking at the launch, Brand Africa founder Thebe Ikalafeng called the results a wake-up call. “It’s not enough to believe in Africa—we must buy African. For that to happen, African brands need to innovate, maintain quality, and embrace authenticity.”
UNECA’s Executive Secretary, Claver Gatete, echoed this sentiment. He praised the Hall of Fame inductees and urged African stakeholders to invest in youth-led innovation, creative industries, and regional value chains. He also called for the creation of a Pan-African Creative Innovation Fund to support the continent’s most promising brands.
Following the launch, Brand Africa plans to take its findings on a continent-wide roadshow, spreading its message of brand-led transformation, entrepreneurship, and African pride.
Ultimately, the Brand Africa 100 rankings don’t just reflect what Africans admire—they also reveal where the continent stands in its ongoing journey to economic independence, creative excellence, and global brand relevance.
